


The Witchfinder

by StoriwrYNos



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic, Bromance, Episode: s02e07 The Witchfinder, Fear, Fear of Death, Fear of Discovery, Feelings, Fluff and Angst, Fluffy Ending, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, I Ship It, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Merthur - Freeform, POV Alternating, Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Reimagining, Romance, Torture, Trauma, re imagining of season 2 episode 7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-08-13 22:43:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16481141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoriwrYNos/pseuds/StoriwrYNos
Summary: When a witchfinder comes to Camelot looking for the person responsible for the magic witnessed there he quickly settles on Merlin as the perpetrator. Will Arthur be able to come up with a plan to save Merlin in time, and will he even want to if he knows what Merlin really is?





	The Witchfinder

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a re-imagining of the episode 7 in season 2 when the witch finder comes and in the series Gaius takes the fall but in this one I wanted Merlin to instead, mainly because I am a sucker for protective Arthur + Merlin and Arthur hurt/comfort but also because I am still mega salty that Arthur didn't find out earlier that Merlin was magic so this was a gateway for that to happen too!

“Merlin, hide everything that contains even a hint of magic!” 

Merlin looked up lazily from where he had been resting his head (definitely not sleeping) but jolted upright as he found Gaius running into their shared quarters. As he shouted his instructions, Gaius slammed the door shut behind him and began grabbing books off of the bookshelf nearest too him. 

“No, priorities.” He mumbled to himself as Merlin tried to register what Gaius had first said. “We can explain the books, there are other things we can’t.” Casting aside the large volume he was holding, Gaius turned towards the centre of the room and seemed exasperated at finding Merlin still sitting at the table. 

“Merlin, I need you to listen to me. We need to get rid of anything magical right now.” 

Struggling to understand, Merlin stood up. His heart was starting to pound in his chest. Gaius was panicking and that made Merlin panic. 

“What’s happening Gaius?” He asked, even as he walked towards the chest on one side of the room that he knew contained some magical charms Gaius had dug up a few weeks ago from his old days of practicing magic for Merlin to experiment with. 

“A woman claimed she saw a sorcerer in the woods so Uther has authorised the witchfinder Aredian to do anything he feels necessary in order to find the person or persons practicing sorcery in Camelot.” 

Hearing these words, Merlin’s heart sank as he recalled himself a couple of days ago playing with some smoke in the woods. All he had been doing was enjoying some freedom he was so rarely afforded, using his magic for fun rather than for the draining life-saving dramatics it was usually reserved for. He should have known better. Now he had brought danger not only upon himself but also upon Gaius and the rest of Camelot if any of them had anything to hide. 

“Merlin, get to work!” Gaius scolded clearly more out of concern than anger. At Gaius’s previous story, Merlin had frozen in place holding the trunk open in his hands. 

“Gaius it was me.” The young wizard confessed as he began pulling condemning trinkets out of the trunk. 

“Hush, Merlin.” For the first time since rushing in, Gaius slowed down and made eye contact with Merlin. Eye contact which Merlin swift broke. “Merlin, listen to me.” Guilt stopped Merlin from meeting Gaius’s gaze so instead he looked at the wall slightly to the right of his caretaker’s head. “Don’t admit to anything. They’re going to ask you questions, they might accuse you of things but you can’t admit to anything, because as soon as you do, they’ve got you. Do you understand? Merlin, do you understand me?” The first time Gaius posed the question, Merlin was too slow to answer but the second time he nodded quickly. 

It was at that moment, when Merlin was holding an enchanted bracelet in his hand, that the door burst open admitting a man dressed from head to toe in black followed by five palace guards. In seconds his eyes had landed on the bracelet in Merlin’s hands. A satisfied smile curled his lips and he waved his hands in a motion to the guard. Suddenly, Merlin had a guard grabbing either of his arms and forcing his to his knees. Moments later his hands were shackled behind his back, a blindfold was tied roughly behind his eyes and a rag was stuffed in his mouth. Aredian was clearly taking no chances. 

“Bring him to the throne room.” The man’s voice was so cold it made Merlin shiver as a he was yanked to his feet and dragged out of the room. As he was being dragged around, Merlin tried to listen out to see if he could hear what was happening to Gaius, because surely he had been grabbed as well and all because of Merlin but he could hear nothing over the sound of the guards walking beside him and his own heartbeat pounding ten times too fast and filling his ears. 

With his hearing impeded, the only indication Merlin got that he had reached his final destination was a shove in the back by the guards holding him which made him sink down onto his knees, wincing in pain at the impact which would surely cause him bruises. 

Finally, his blind was torn off and he could see and hear again. 

The first thing he saw was Uther looking down at him from his throne in horror, disgust and fear. The second was Gaius kneeling on the floor beside him flanked by guards with his wrists chained together behind his back. The first thing he hears was a shout so familiar it made Merlin ache. 

 

“What on earth do you think you’re doing?” Arthur jumped up from his throne as the guards roughly shoved Merlin and Gaius to their knees. 

His question was met with a patronising grin from the witchfinder Aredian who was striding around in front of his captives as if he, and not Uther were the king of Camelot. Arthur had never approved of his father calling on Aredian to help with their magic problem. For one thing, whoever had been practicing magic in the woods had been doing harm to no one, like much of the other magic Arthur had witnessed in his life if he was honest, and for another Aredian had a reputation that preceded him; a reputation that spoke of unnecessary violence and a masochistic pleasure that he took in harming any sorcerers he found, rather than merely bringing them to perceived justice. And now, now Arthur wanted to turn around and scream at his father for inviting Aredian to the court because he had been there five minutes and he already had Merlin on the floor looking like a deer looking down a crossbow. 

“Bringing you your sorcerers, my prince.” Aredian’s voice was dripping with pride at his catch. Arthur opened his mouth to speak again, to defend his friends, to demand Aredian unhand them immediately, but Uther got there first. 

“How did you know it was them?” At his father’s words, Arthur felt his blood boil. There was no doubt in Uther’s tone. No questioning whether Aredian had actually found the right people. Only wanting to know how he had found them. 

“I asked the lady from the woods if she saw anyone that day and she mentioned a young boy in the service of the prince. When I got here I asked where I could find him and when I went searching found him in possession of several magical artefacts.” 

As Aredian’s explanation unfolded, Arthur’s brain spun trying to process the information. Some woman who had started all of this trouble by suggesting she had seen someone performing magic in the woods had seen Merlin there at the same time. Well that was hardly unusual, Merlin was always out in the woods for some reason or another, collecting ingredients for Gaius or going on walks because he was oddly inclined in that way. But Aredian had found him with magical artefacts, what did that mean? Looking to Merlin’s side, Arthur couldn’t help but think about Gaius and how he had once practiced sorcery, for good never evil of course, but he had practiced it. Surely the artefacts were long forgotten possessions of his that he and Merlin had been trying to hide in fear of the very situation that was unfurling before them? 

“And I let you near my son!” It seemed Uther’s mind had taken a completely different track to Arthur’s and before anyone could stop him he had sauntered down the steps from the throne and backhanded Merlin across the face. The slapping sound filled the otherwise silent throne room. Arthur stepped forward with his mouth open and no idea how to react to this situation as Merlin regained his balance on his knees and bent his head, breathing deeply. 

“What happens now?” Uther asked turning towards Aredian. So much for he and Gaius being old friends, Arthur thought, Uther clearly had a new ally now. 

“I will interrogate them for any information they might have and then they will be burned at the stake.” So many words burned in Arthur’s brain. Interrogation. Burned. Stake. 

“Gaius hasn’t done anything.” The voice was quiet but held a conviction which made everyone, even Aredian, turns towards it. Merlin was still looking at the ground where his gag had been dislodged when he had been hit. With everyone’s attention now on him, he looked up under his fringe. 

“You’re right. It was me in the woods.” This he addressed to Aredian who cast another gloating smile at Arthur as if he knew that the prince had been internally doubting him. “And I was trying to hide my artefacts, but Gaius knew nothing of it. I swear to you.” 

Receiving a sceptical look from Aredian, Arthur watched Merlin turn his attention to Uther who was watching on intently. 

“You know Gaius, he’s your friend and he would never do anything to harm Camelot. I swear he didn’t know I was practicing magic.” 

Merlin looked desperate and now he had looked up further to plead with Uther, Arthur could see blood dripping from a cut on his lip from the previous blow. Based on the words coming out of Merlin’s mouth, Arthur knew he should feel shocked, betrayed, scared of his servant but all he felt was his heart breaking as he watched his friend beg for the life of his mentor. 

For a moment the hall fell silent as Uther considered Merlin’s words. 

“Is this true Gaius?” He finally asked, turning towards his old friend. Again, everyone’s attention shifted, now resting on the old man kneeling on the floor beside his protégé. Merlin’s eyes were also on Gaius and for the briefest of moments, Arthur was sure he saw a conversation take place between the two men using only their gaze. Then, the moment of truth. 

“Yes, sire. I’m utterly ashamed to have been harbouring a sorcerer under my roof for so long, for bringing one into your palace when you have been so good to me…” Gaius was clearly ready to carry on speaking but Uther interrupted him.  
“  
Release him!” He demanded the guards who stood on either side of Gaius. Under the command of their king, one of the guards immediately stooped down and unlocked the shackles around his wrists and lifting him to his feet. Uther was by his side right away, holding onto his arm. 

“You were always too trusting, my old friend.” He reassured and although Gaius nodded his assent, Arthur couldn’t help but think he saw a flash of guilt pass through Gaius’s eyes and when he looked back at Merlin who was still kneeling on the floor having being sentenced to death, all he could see in his eyes were relief. 

“You have until sunrise.” Uther told Aredian, scowling down at Merlin like he wanted to set him on fire himself right there and then. “Then I want him burned.” And with that a gag was stuffed back in Merlin’s mouth, a blindfold was pushed back over his eyes and he was dragged out of the throne room with Aredian following gleefully in his footsteps. 

Arthur wanted to scream, shout, do anything to stop what was about to happen and what was going to happen at sunrise. But he couldn’t. Aredian had presented all of the evidence he needed to prove Merlin’s guilt and now Merlin had as good as confessed to practicing sorcery himself. Arthur’s breath caught in his throat has his mind roared away behind his eyes. In little under twenty four hours Merlin was going to die, and there nothing Arthur could do to stop it. 

 

As he was plunged back into darkness, all Merlin kept repeating to himself was that Gaius was safe. Gaius is safe. Gaius is safe. Gaius is safe. Yes, the situation he was in was not ideal but at least he was the only one suffering for his foolish actions and no one else. 

Gaius was safe. Merlin knew it had killed his mentor and father figure to condemn Merlin but Gaius clearly recognised, as did Merlin, that while Merlin as the perpetrator of the crime did not have a way out, Gaius as a potential accomplice did and so better one of them head to the bonfire than both. 

As Merlin was dragged further away from the throne room, though, fear about what was about to happen kicked in. Aredian had said he would be interrogated which Merlin knew enough to understand meant violence punctuated by questions he either could not or would not answer. But at least Gaius would not be enduring it too. That was the only way Merlin could think to make it through the next few hours. That, and the knowledge that after the hours of pain, his suffering would end completely. 

 

Arthur slammed the door behind him as he entered his quarters of the palace. That wasn’t enough to rid him of his frustration though so he also kicked a pair of shoes near the door and shoved a fruit bowl from the table for good measure. 

His brain was racing and he could not stop all of his questions and thoughts from bombarding him at the same time. 

Surely Merlin wasn’t a sorcerer? He would have admitted to anything in that throne room had he known it would keep Gaius safe. But what if he was? What he had been practicing sorcery under Arthur’s nose for all of these year? And yet even if that was the case, why was Arthur more hurt by the fact that Merlin had been keeping such a huge secret from him than the fact that he had been flouting his father’s law? What was happening to Merlin now? How could he get Merlin out of whatever was happening now? There was no way to get Merlin out. Merlin was going to die. With Merlin dead, how would Arthur keep on living? 

With no other way to channel his anger, Arthur marched over to his desk and started throwing whatever he could grasp first as hard as he could at whichever surface was closest. It provided precisely no comfort at all. 

 

Pain. During the first hour, when it was all new, Merlin had thought he would get used to it. Would be desensitised by sunrise. What a fool he had been. Three hours in and every blow felt like the first. 

When they had arrived at their destination, the dungeon of course, Merlin had thought he would be questions first. Of course he wasn’t going to reveal the little he did know about sorcerers in and around Camelot but he thought, if you were that way inclined Aredian might give you the opportunity to reveal all you knew and then allow you some time of rest and reflection for the rest of your life. Oh, how wrong he had been. 

First there came a beating. Not too dissimilar to beatings Merlin had been subject to before; blows to the face, kicks to the stomach, ribs and back, but painful enough to make tears well in his eyes and his breath to wheeze painfully out his body. 

Then came the first questions. 

Were there other sorcerers in Camelot? Where had Merlin got the charms and artefacts from? What other magical items did he have lying around? What magic had he performed while he was in Camelot? How many people had he hurt? How many people had he killed? 

Even though he longed to answer the last questions, to scream at them that he had never used to powers for bad or to hurt Merlin stayed quiet. Gaius had told him not to admit to anything and with that life no longer hanging in the balance, Merlin kept his mouth shut. 

And so came more pain. Shirt ripped from his back, wrists shackled to a chain hanging from the ceiling, and the flashing sting of a whip biting his back, stealing his skin repeatedly until he had screamed himself hoarse and was praying for sunrise to come. 

 

There was a knock on the door, and before Arthur could scream that no, whoever it was could not enter, Gaius came hurrying into the room. Arthur looked up from where he was sitting at his now bare desk where his head had formerly been buried in his hands. 

“Sire.” Gaius bowed on his way over to stand in front of Arthur. “We have to help him.” 

Sighing deeply, Arthur pushed his palms into his eyes. 

“And how exactly do you suggest doing that, Gaius. He admitted in front of a full throne room, the king and a renowned witchfinder that he was a sorcerer, as did you I might add. There is nothing we can do for him.” 

Arthur had never seen Gaius truly angry before. Playfully mad with Merlin, a little annoyed at Arthur’s occasionally treatment of Merlin and scathing of Uther’s morals but never truly angry until he looked up and saw Gaius clenching his fists and struggling to find the words to express himself. 

“After everything he’s done for you, you’re just going to sit here and let him be tortured down there and then burn him alive.” Gaius thundered, taking Arthur by surprise. 

“Gaius, I don’t know what you expect me to do?” Arthur was pleading now, just as Merlin had been in the throne room. Just like Merlin, he too was begging for help saving the life of someone he loved. 

“If you can’t prove Merlin innocent, why not prove Aredian to be the scoundrel he is?” Gaius suggested evenly. It was clearly something he had been considering before visiting Arthur. 

“You mean he’s dishonest?” Asked Arthur, feeling a glimmer of hope ignite inside of him. Could it be true that neither Gaius nor Merlin was wrapped up in the dark world of sorcery and it was all Aredian wanting to preserve his reputation as the best witchfinder in the land? 

“I couldn’t say for sure.” Gaius managed to extinguish Arthur’s hope as quickly as he had formed it. “But his goal is violence, not justice of any kind, based on any morals or belief systems.” 

Despite a lack of concrete evidence, Arthur knew what Gaius was referring to. He had witnessed it all too plainly himself today in the throne room. The thought of the man laying his hands on Merlin made Arthur feel sick.

With new hope and motivation, Arthur set his mind off on an actual task instead of useless meandering for the first time in hours and he quickly forged a plan he thought might work. 

“I’ve got it.” Was all he told Gaius, not wanting the old man to know more than he needed to in case he was chosen by Aredian again. Seemingly finding this sufficient, Gaius turned to leave Arthur’s chamber but there was something Arthur needed before he did. 

“Is he?” Arthur called just before Gaius reached the door. Turning slightly, Gaius cocked an eyebrow as if daring Arthur to say more. “Is he a sorcerer?” Arthur acquiesced, needing to know the answer. Gaius sighed deeply and clicked his tongue as if considering how to answer. 

“Arthur.” He finally spoke in a calm and measured tone. “If it matters, you’re not the man Merlin thinks you are.” And with that Gaius was gone.

For a moment, Arthur puzzled over this response. Did it matter to him? No. No it didn’t. Because Gaius hadn’t given him an answer and he was still going to save Merlin. In fact, Gaius’s lack of answer had been an answer in many respects and more than that, had been the wrong answer. But that was not going to stop Arthur Pendragon from saving his Merlin. 

 

As he was dragged out into the sunlit courtyard, Merlin squinted his one eyes that hadn’t been fused shut by repeated punches. Everything ached and today, rather than guarding him, the men on either side were there more to keep him up. 

His torso was bare and showed every mark that had been bestowed upon him over the last few hours of his life. Bruises, scars, buns, and his back was a mess of criss-crossed bloody lines that even if given a chance would never fully heal. His legs ached and his head pounded. There was a bruise on his jaw from where Uther had slapped him. He hadn’t eaten or drank since being arrested. He was bone weary and all he could think when he saw the bonfire was that he wasn’t sure he could stand and how undignified would it be to be burned at the stake sitting down. 

Looking around, Merlin wasn’t sure what he was trying to do. Half of him wanted to see Gaius and half of him didn’t. Half of him wanted to see Arthur and half of him was terrified of what Arthur’s gaze might do to him, especially as he had no idea what it might hold. 

Apart from those two, there wasn’t really anyone in the baying crowd Merlin longed to see so he tried to block out the sound of their heckling as much as he could which wasn’t too difficult with his headache and ringing ears. 

Finally, as he was pushed up onto the bonfire, he caught sight of Gaius who gave him a reassuring nod. Merlin tried to nod and smile back, trying to let Gaius know that it was ok. That Merlin would rather he be at the top of the pyre than Gaius but even though that was true he could not form his lips into any type of smile. Now, the pain had stopped bothering him and all he could feel was fear. 

His legs and hands were shaking violently and he couldn’t help thinking about how much he had let everyone down. Had let his mother down. She had sent him to Camelot to keep him safe but Gaius would now have to send her a letter telling her of his death. Had let Gaius down. Gaius who had tried so hard to protect him, who had told him again and again to be careful with his magic and who would have to watch him burn at the stake. Had let Arthur down. Arthur who had accepted him, who had looked out for him. Arthur, who he was meant to spend the rest of his life protecting. He had let him down all for a little game in the woods.

Out of the corner of his one seeing eye, Merlin could see Aredian approaching the bonfire with a lit torch and felt a lone tear trickle down his bruised cheek. He didn’t want to die. 

“Wait!” Arthur’s shout filled the courtyard and he stood proud and confident at the top of the castle steps as every eye turned towards him. Despite every sinew in him wanting to look at Merlin, Arthur kept his eyes away knowing that one glance at Merlin on top of the pyre might break him entirely and he needed to be whole for this plan to work.

Slowly making his way down the steps he held up two things. An artefact that looked like the one which had been found in Merlin’s possession and a bag full of similar charms and trinkets. With these things, Arthur spun his tale. How Merlin had always been such a faithful servant and spent so much time with Arthur that Arthur had been sure he could not have missed any powers Merlin might possess. How Aredian and seemed intent from the moment he arrived to swiftly pin everything on the young servant who he had seen in the wood. How, feeling a little suspicious, Arthur had asked his guards to go and look in Aredian’s rooms and how they had discovered countless counterfeit artefact which Aredian had surely been planting in order to further his reputation as the best witchfinder in the land. By the end of his story, Arthur had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand. More importantly though, by the end of the story it was the word of the crown prince of Camelot against the word of a severely discredited witchfinder. 

Of course Aredian denied it, he would, it was all lies, but with Arthur’s power, confidence and supposed evidence (borrowed from Gaius and planted in Aredian’s rooms) it was quickly ordered that Merlin be removed from the bonfire where he looked on the verge of passing out. 

Two of the guards went as if to go up and help Merlin but Arthur rather desperately shoved the crowd aside in order to get their first. By the look of Merlin he had been touched by too many unkind and unfamiliar hands over the past few hours. 

Quickly, Arthur scrambled up the collection of logs and twigs before pulling out his dagger and cutting the binds that tied Merlin to the stake. Merlin practically fell into his arms and Arthur scooped him up gently, holding him close as he felt the other man shiver in his arms. 

As soon as he had Merlin safe with him, Arthur was barely aware of the crowd around him or of Aredian being ordered from Camelot by Uther with the help of a group of guards. Instead he just focused on getting Merlin inside and away from all of this pain. 

 

Merlin winced as Gaius gently smeared cream onto the marks on his back. Despite the pain he was happy to back in his own bed with Gaius helping to clean up his wounds and Arthur holding onto his hand tightly for support. 

When he had finished applying the salve, Gaius exited the room with a bow to Arthur and a fond ruffle of Merlin’s hair. 

“Thank you for saving me.” Merlin whispered as the door clicked shut. He was lying on his front and had his face turned towards Arthur who was sitting at the side of the bed. Arthur smiled a small, fond smile and shook his head gently. 

“It’s me who should be thanking you.” He said gently, squeezing Merlin’s fingers between his own. At that, Merlin narrowed his eyes in confusion but winced at the pain it caused him. 

“What do you mean?” He finally managed to get out. 

 

Arthur sighed deeply and licked his lips. 

“Just something Gaius said.” He admitted before seeing on Merlin’s face that this answer did not suffice and elaborating. “He asked me if after everything you had done for me I was just going to let you die and let’s face it Merlin you’re not the greatest servant in the world so then I started thinking about it. Thinking about all of times in battles or out in the woods or something when death had seemed certain and then something miraculous has happened which has saved me.” 

As Arthur spoke, Merlin tensed visibly from his shoulders to his fingers which squeezed Arthur’s almost painfully. 

“Merlin, don’t worry. I promise you, I am never going to tell anyone, least of all my father.” As if to punctuate his words, Arthur leaned forward and rested a gentle hand in Merlin’s hair, rubbing the hairs by his ear soothingly with his thumb. 

“The rest of Camelot might not be ready to accept you for who you are in your entirety but I am.” Arthur whispered gently trying, if he could, to dispel the pain and trauma of the last few hours of Merlin’s life with gentle words and touch, all of which held nothing but the truth. 

“Although I do still expect you to polish all my shoes by hand.” 

He teased and his heart bloomed as he heard Merlin laugh gently, despite his pain and he thought of how incredibly brave the man - the sorcerer- lying in front of him, truly was.


End file.
